Half Day Root Glacier Hike

Summary: Hiking the Root Glacier was exciting and a little scary as our first glacier hike. However, hiking with a friendly, experienced, and knowledgible guide, such as Veronica, from McCarthy River Tours made our day. Veronica prepared us for the hike and provided all of the guidance needed. Veronica stayed with us every step, she shared her experience and knowledge to insure a safe hike as well as an interesting experience. We would never have ventured as far and as safely on the Root Glacier if we had hiked without a guide. Veronica made this hike a memorable and fun one.

Summary: An amazing view of a real live glacier. A scenic hike along the historic mining town of Kennicott takes you to the bottom of the root glacier where you strap on supplied crampons to hike around a beautiful white ice glacier with the option to swim in a glacial pool. Knowledgeable guides keep you informed about your surroundings and the history of the old mining town.

Summary: We had a wonderful time hiking to and on the glacier. We booked last minute due to weather and they were very accommodating. Our guide John was terrific and we enjoyed our day with him very much. He shared his knowledge of the area and glaciers, fitted us with equipment and instructed us well on how to stay safe. Great experience! We're so glad we did this!

Summary: Just enjoyed the experience of being on the glazier and learning about the glaziers. Our guide Macie was knowledgeable. I am certainly glad we had a guide.

Summary: We went for the glacier walk with beautiful weather late July. The walk on the glacier is spectacular as it gives amazing views to the surrounding mountains and the different shapes and colors of the ice and crevasses around. While it was warm on the way to the glacier, it was much cooler once on the glacier. So take at least two layers to manage the change of temperature.

Summary: Jeremiah was a great guide. He was full of local knowledge and made us feel comfortable on our hike. Only 1 in 4 of us had ever been on crampons before but he made sure we had a good fit and knowledge of how to use. Would definitely recommend

Summary: We went on the Root Glacier Hike with our daughter and her friend. This was his first trip to Alaska. We live in the area, and had been to McCarthy many times, but had never been to Root Glacier. Walking on the glacier was a highlight for all of us. We had a great hike. The glacier was amazing. Our guide, Johnny, was informative, helpful, and outgoing. As a bonus, he took beautiful pictures with our camera and cell phones. We saw guides from another outfit with large groups of people and we were sure glad we selected McCarthy River Tours; since it was just the four of us and our guide, we could go at our own pace and fully explore the area. Thank you, Johnny!

Summary: I booked a Root Glacier hike with Johnny and boy am I glad I did! I normally would forego a formal tour and take a hike by myself, and I'm happy that I did the opposite this time. Johnny was an awesome guide! He was patient, informative, and since we were the only two people on the glacier at 8 AM in the morning, he took me around to all of the good picture taking spots. He showed me some of the remnants of the Gold Rush systems that exist on the mountainside to the right of the glacier; that was cool! I got some really amazing photos of the ice fall and other glacial structures and he even helped me fill my Camelback with delicious glacier water! He was super knowledgeable about the area, about the Root glacier structure (as well as the surrounding Kennicott glacier), and about the history of the surrounding area. It was truly an amazing and unforgettable experience and I'm glad I got a super cool and relatable guide like Johnny!

Summary: Here’s the truth, folks: There are a few companies in the area that book tours of the Root, but this company has individualized service, and it is totally worth the negligible amount of money. This July I booked a 7:00am private tour, and Amanda was my guide. It was just the two of us on the glacier. By the time we got off the glacier, other companies with much larger groups were arriving. Nothing against big groups, but if you want to move quickly, see more, and get a personalized experience, I highly recommend this company. And if you can get Amanda, you will not be disappointed. She was funny, wickedly smart and knowledgeable, and a perfect guide. It was an experience I will never forget.

Summary: We three mature ladies took the Root Glacier hike. Despite the really un-Alaskan weather (hot, hot, hot) we had a terrific time and are very proud we made this choice. Guide Stone provided hiking poles and crampons. He was well prepared for emergencies. We were able to go at our pace and liked the smaller group (just us) with McCarthy River Tours. He met us at the Kennicott Lodge were we were staying, however I understand other groups start in McCarthy. Although we are Alaskan and know our plants and quite a bit of Kennicott history, he was knowledgeable about those things also, and taught us quite a bit about the local geology. Time on the glacier was magical. Stone was able to show us things we wouldn't have found on our own.